Mornings with MAC – Peralta Edition

Get to know the Science Faculty with your weekly installment of Mornings with MAC

Guest Post by Michael Codrington ’18

This week on Mornings with MAC, we have Jose Peralta. Mr. Jose N. Peralta is a house counselor in the greatest boys dorm to ever exist, Bartlet hall, and a Teaching Fellow in introductory Biology for 9th graders. Peralta has an office in CAMD (Community and Multicultural Development). Throughout the year in the dorm, Mr. Peralta and I have gotten to know each other very well. So, I thought who better to inaugurate Mornings with MAC than Mr. Peralta. I sat down to ask him a few questions.

MC: How long have you been working at Andover?
JP: For about a year – started my teaching fellowship in the fall of 2016. However, I’ve worked in Summer Session for the last two summers. Specifically, as a teaching assistant for the Mathematics and Science for Minority Students (MS)2 program.

MC: What brought you here?
JP: I would say a United aircraft, but that’s my silly attempt to be funny. And, they didn’t drag me off the plane!

MC: Where did you go to college? What did you study?
JP: Bates College for undergrad. Studied biology and completed two concentrations in Film and Media Studies and in French and Francophone Studies

MC: You studied film? That’s pretty cool actually. What’s your favorite movie?
JP: Wow, you got me with this question! I’m a film fanatic, so choosing one is hard for me, but I would say the new Doctor Strange is one of my favorite movies; it’s a movie I would watch again. Sorry, Moonlight and La La Land– you weren’t that great, just saying.

MC: I’d just like to say I enjoyed both of those movies, so I’m a little hurt, but I hold nothing against you. What is your favorite thing about Andover?
JP: The students, faculty, and staff. I’ve been supported by everyone on campus, and the students in my classes and dormitory, GO BARTLET! They have made my year at Andover one to remember. Saying bye will be very hard.

MC: Do you have any advice for aspiring Science Teachers?
JP: Be yourself, be authentic, be genuine—students will appreciate that, sometimes more than any of your lessons.

MC: Do you consider yourself an easy or hard teacher?
JP: I’m not sure. You should ask some of my students. Some would say that I’m “picky” in my grading, and I would have to agree with that. My good sense of humor and approachability makes up for anything they might say about my grading style.

MC: What’s one thing a lot of people don’t know about you?
JP: I think some people know that I’m an amateur photographer, but many might not know that I placed third in a nation-wide photo contest on Instagram.

MC: Whoa, I actually had no clue about that, that’s crazy! Well thank you so much Mr. Peralta!
JP: Thank you for having me.

Next week on Mornings with MAC we interview whale-fanatic Mr. Leon Holley.